''Diuris semilunulata'', commonly known as the late leopard orchid, is a species of

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

that is native to

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

. It has two grass-like leaves and up to five orange-coloured flowers with brown and purple blotches.

Description

''Diuris semilunulata'' is a

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

ous,

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

with two linear leaves, each long, wide and folded lengthwise. Between three and five orange-coloured flowers with large brown and purple blotches, wide are borne on a flowering stem tall. The dorsal sepal is erect, long, wide and egg-shaped. The lateral sepals are linear to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long, wide, turned downwards or backwards and crossed over each other. The

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are curved backwards, broadly egg-shaped to almost circular, long and wide on a dark reddish brown stalk long. The labellum is long and has three lobes. The centre lobe is wedge-shaped, wide with a central ridge. The side lobes are long, wide. There are two raised callus ridges long near the mid-line of the labellum. Flowering occurs from October to December.

Taxonomy and naming

''Diuris semilunulata'' was first formally described in 1944 by

Pearl Messmer A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

and the description was published in

Herman Rupp Herman Montague Rucker Rupp (27 December 1872 – 2 September 1956) was an Australian clergyman and botanist who specialised in orchids. He was known throughout his life as Montague Rupp (pronounced "Rupe") and in later life as the "Orchid Man". R ...

's book '' The Orchids of New South Wales''.

Distribution

The late leopard orchid mostly grows in shallow, rocky soil in open forest in the Australian Capital Territy, New South Wales south from Nerriga and possibly Victoria.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10267418 semilunulata Endemic orchids of Australia Orchids of New South Wales Orchids of the Australian Capital Territory Plants described in 1944